TURKEYS and TROPHIES: Easton Assassin belts out a killer of a song

If you're ever down on your luck and struggling, you'd be fortunate to cross paths with someone like Clinton Township Patrolman Andrew McCluskey. Instead of looking the other way recently when a homeless man shared his plight, McCluskey not only listened — but helped. Michael E. Sari was disheveled and dirty when McCluskey saw him on the grass by Route 31 on Halstead Street on July 18. Sari talked about being homeless for 20 years. He said he hadn't eaten in days and was headed to McDonald's to rummage through the garbage cans for food. McCluskey could have walked away. He could have written off Sari as someone who didn't deserve his time or his sympathy. But McCluskey chose a different path — one of compassion. He bought Sari something to eat and then paid $50 for him to spend the night at an area hotel.

Crews from the Allentown Fire Department got the chance Thursday to rescue lives — and snuggle with some of those who were in danger. We're talking puppies, cute little bundles of fur. There were no people home when fire broke out at a home at 838 N. Kiowa St., but eight dogs, nine puppies, two cats and a rabbit were rescued. The cats suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to a local veterinarian. Some of the dogs were treated with oxygen. And there was cuddling, a lot of cuddling.

Too often celebrities and sports figures have inflated egos and don't have time for their fans or the general public. Not former heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes. Recently, he was dining at a Lower Nazareth Township restaurant when a 92-year-old woman was being honored during a birthday celebration for seniors from a local nursing home, according to two Nazareth women who witnessed the encounter and shared it in a letter to the editor. The Palmer Township champ not only took the time to chat with the woman but also serenaded her with a solo rendition of "Happy Birthday."

Hats off to Easton resident and Lexus of the Lehigh Valley owner Peter Cooper for adding to the excitement in a resurgent Downtown Easton by deciding to open a pop-up store featuring 14 vehicles — including a $400,000 one-of-a-kind super car — on the first floor of the Alpha Building in Easton's Centre Square. No cars will be sold at the site, but presenters will offer visitors an auto show experience and answer questions. The pop-up store, called The Lexus Experience, is expected to open Aug. 1 and remain open through the holidays.

TURKEYS

Members of the Lehigh Valley Tea Party are certainly within their rights to protest how the federal government is handling immigrant children who crossed the border from Mexico into the United States, many of them without adults. But their decision to protest outside of KidsPeace in Salisbury Township -- where some of the children are being housed -- is questionable. The children can't change how our government responds to this problem and KidsPeace, as an organization dedicated to helping kids, isn't going to turn them away. Wouldn't it make more sense to protest outside the offices of those with the power to change the policy — such as U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Lehigh Valley, or U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.?

When Allentown residents living within the city's Neighborhood Improvement Zone turned out recently for a residents-only job fair hoping to land jobs with the new hockey arena manager and other employers, many were turned away before they got inside. Thursday's job fair was advertised until 6:30 p.m., but before 5 p.m. people in line were told to go home. Nancy Dischinat, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Investment Board, said the reason was organizers realized — based on the number of people already inside — that they would not be able to get to those still waiting. Ce-Ce Gerlach, an activist pushing for job opportunities to go to those living within the zone, argues that another Allentown-only job fair should be held, since many people were turned away. Dischinat said no more such job fairs are planned, but CareerLink Lehigh Valley would hold one if any of the employers request it. And although officials predict the numbers will improve, here's a dismal statistic: Only 16 people who live within the 130-acre zone have been connected with jobs, with an estimated 700 positions open.